Kathrine Frich
Russia has quietly moved to restrict the recruitment of foreign fighters for its war in Ukraine..
According to the investigative outlet Important Stories, Russian military recruiters have been handed a list of 43 countries whose citizens are now barred from being enlisted as contract soldiers.
The list reportedly surfaced in social media chats linked to recruitment networks and was confirmed by a regional contract recruitment center.
43 countries on the list
Journalists report that the blacklist initially included 36 countries described as “friendly” to Russia.
Among them are Cuba, China, India, Turkey, Iran and Egypt, as well as several Arab states including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
Vietnam, Ethiopia, Kenya and Israel also appear on the list.
In February, the restrictions were expanded to include seven more countries: Colombia, Argentina, Cameroon, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq.
The reasons behind the decision have not been officially explained.
However, journalists suggest the move may be aimed at avoiding diplomatic friction with partner nations whose citizens have been recruited to fight.
Thousands previously recruited
Until recently, Russia had actively recruited fighters from parts of Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Kenyan authorities previously reported that up to 1,000 of their citizens had been recruited into Russian service, with claims that many were misled about the nature of their contracts.
A similar number of Cubans were reportedly fighting on Russia’s side, along with smaller contingents from Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The majority of foreign recruits, however, are believed to have come from Central Asia, including Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Belarus.
Over 10,000 foreign fighters
According to the Ukrainian project I Want to Live, Russia had recruited more than 10,000 foreign mercenaries by the fall of 2025.
Citizens of countries now placed on the blacklist reportedly accounted for 37 percent of that total.
While Moscow has not publicly acknowledged the blacklist, the reported restrictions signal a possible shift in how the Kremlin manages foreign recruitment as the war in Ukraine drags on.
Sources: Important Stories; I Want to Live; O2.
